Estonia Helping Georgia Combat Violence Against Women

28.12.2011

No. 422-E

The Foreign Ministry is supporting the fight against sexual and domestic violence in the lives of internally displaced women in Georgia by donating 55 000 euros through the Ofiice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to analyses done by the UNHCR and its partners, violence against women is common in Georgia, particularly against internally displaced women. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the government of Georgia has taken steps together with the UN and local non-governmental organisations in order to resolve this situation. “Our partners in Georgia have expressed the desire to work together in order to take care of this problem. Estonia has also supported the fight against domestic violence previously in its bilateral development co-operation with Georgia,” said Foreign Minister Paet.

The goal of the UNHCR project in the year 2012 is to counsel about 700 victims of domestic violence, organise 14 awareness events and 8 information days, offer legal services to 192 victims of domestic violence or their families, and offer safe shelter to 160 women in need.

The activities of the UNHCR aim to help the internally displaced persons of Geoetgia as well as the residents of the western part of Abkazia. While in the rest of Georgia it is possible to carry out anti-domestic violence activities through local organisations, in Abkhazia such activities are only possible through the UNHCR and its partner organisations.

Combatting domestic violence is one of Estonia’s priorities in its development co-operation programme for Georgia for the years 2012-2015.